It's a Wonderful Life

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

  • 95% of critics liked it
    (56 reviews)

  • 94% of users liked it
    (186,369 ratings)

This is director Frank Capra's classic bittersweet comedy/drama about George Bailey (James Stewart), the eternally-in-debt guiding force of a bank in the typical American small town of Bedford Falls. As the film opens, it's Christmas Eve, 1946, and George, who has long considered himself a failure,… More

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G, 2 hr. 5 min.
Directed By
Frank Capra
Written By
Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra
Genres
Drama, Kids & Family, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy
In Theaters
Dec 25, 1946 Wide
On DVD
Sep 19, 1995
Liberty Films

Critic Reviews

  • , TIME Magazine

    It's a Wonderful Life is a pretty wonderful movie.

  • Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

    The epiphany of movie sentiment and a transcendent experience.

  • Bert Briller, Variety

    The April-air wholesomeness and humanism of this natural bring back vividly the reminder that, essentially, the screen best offers unselfconscious, forthright entertainment.

  • Bosley Crowther, New York Times

    As the hero, Mr. Stewart does a warmly appealing job, indicating that he has grown in spiritual stature as well as in talent during the years he was in the war. And Donna Reed is remarkably poised and gracious as his adoring sweet-heart and wife.

  • James Berardinelli, ReelViews

    Combine the characters, the story, the message, and the acting, and it's easy to see why It's a Wonderful Life isn't just a holiday favorite, but a great movie by almost any standards.

Read all 20 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Adriel L


    Great. Definitely a film to watch each and every Christmas holiday. Rather wholesome and simple message gets across to anybody and everybody.

  • Bently L


    George Bailey is a man with many hopes and dreams. However, his sacrifices, economic woes, and the achievements of his brother, Harrry, get in the way. On Christmas Eve, a frustrated Geroge Bailey is visited by a guardian angel named Clarence who gives him a new, and not so pleasant,… More

  • Alice S


    They just don't make 'em like this anymore. Jimmy Stewart: the epitome of weakness and strength, goofy likability and romantic sweeper of feets.

  • Melvin W


    Clarence: You've been given a great gift, George: A chance to see what the world would be like without you.  "They're making memories tonight!" How to even start to describe It's A Wonderful Life. I guess I should start with the biggest and most obvious… More

  • Mike S


    Joyous, timeless classic! I can't say I've seen many movies from the 1940's, let alone any Christmas ones, but this was a very pleasant viewing experience, in several senses of the word. James Stewart is fantastic and brings a lot of vigor to his performance, but above… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

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